Sewing machine



C. W. DOWD SEWING MACHINE Aug. 29, 1933.

Filed Feb. 19, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 A TTORNE Y5 C. W. DOWD SEWING MACHINE Aug. 29, 1933.

4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 19, 1929 INVENITJR 71 13/ AM; min

A TTORNE y:

Aug. 29, 1933. c. w. DOWD 2 SEWING MACHINE Filed Feb. 19, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR WW ATTORNEYA Aug. 29, 1933- c. w. DOWD 1,924,232

SEWING MACHINE Filed Feb. 19, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 IN VENTOR MWAQM A TTORNE Y4 Patented Aug. 29, 1933 UNITED STATES SEWING MACHINE Charles W. Dowd, Highland Park, N. J., assignor to Willcox & Gibbs Sewing Machine Company, New York, N. Y., a'Corpora tion of New York Application February 19. 1929. Serial no. 241,109

' 15 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in sewing machines, and the principal object thereof is the provision of means adapted to be associated or combined with sewing machines of the type having a work-supporting arm or cylinder whereby the same may be uickly converted into a machine of the flat-bed type, and vice-versa.

In the use of modern feed-ofrT-the-arm sewing machines it is common practice toemploy a shelf beneath the work-arm extending out from under the edge of the bench on which the machine is mounted at a somewl'iat lower level than the bench. Said shelf provides a surface for supporting that part of the work which hangs below the work-arm; also, as the work is fed 01f the free end of the work arin it -aops onto said shelfand is prevented thereby from hanging free at the end of the arm with a tendency to drag upon and disarrange that part of the work or fabric which is advancing along the Work-arm to the needle or needles.

Another object of this invention is the provision of means movable either to such position in relation to the Work-arm of the sewing machine as to constitute a fiat-bed, or to such postion below said work-arm as to function as a work-supporting shelf in place of that mentioned above.

Still other objects accomplished by the invention will be understood from the drawings and detailed description.

As one illustration of some of the practical advantages realized by use of the invention, the following is noted. It is now common practice, for example, in manufacturing small boys shirts and blouses, to sew the sleeves to the body using a flat-bed sewing machine, that is, a type of machine having a flat work-supporting surface or bed of considerablearea. In this operation the convexly curved edge of each sleeve is sewed to the concavely curved edge of the corresponding sleeve opening in the body of the garment; and in order to mani ulate the two pieces of work, the sleeve and the body, in a manner to cause the needle to follow the curve of the two edges being secured together by the stitches, it is necessary to turn or shift the work on the flat bed-plate on which it is supported. This operation cannot be are tied together in bundles of one, two, or more dozens each (according to the practice of the particular factory) The bundles are then taken to another machine of eitherthe feed-off-thearm type, or the feed-onto-the-arm or cylinder type, where each bundle isuntied and its garments run through that machine to form the lengthwise closing seams of both sleeves and the sides of each garment. The garments are then rebundled and the bundles'retied.

It is generally estimated by the manufacturers of such garments that the cost of untying a bundle and then reassembling and retying it, is one-half of a cent. The shifting from one machine to another between operations and the handling of the work, delays, etc., incidental thereto, alsoadd materially to the expense. r i

By the use of the present invention in conjunction with a work-arm machine, preferably of the feed-'off-the arm type, both the aforesaid operations may be performed on that one machine, using it first as a flat-bed machine and then as a work-arm machine. This not only eliminates the considerable items of expense such as mentioned above, but also effects a much larger saving in that the manufacturer is enabled to do work on one type of machine which heretofore has required "two types, thereby saving him theexpense of equipping his plant with fiat-bed ma.- chines for this character of work. Furthermore, in some instances the purchase of fiat-bed machines may be entirely avoided by the use-0f this invention; for example, where the work of a factory is confined to manufacturing only one type of garments such as that before mentioned.

What is now believed to be the preferredembodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein Fig. 1 is a top plan view; I r

Fig. 2 is a front elevation '(lookingupward in relation to Fig. 1) showing the partsin the position to which they may be lowered to constitute a work-supporting shelf beneath thev Work-arm of the sewing machine;

Fig. 3 is a view in elevation (withpart of the work-bench in section) on line 3--3 of Fig. 1, with the parts shown in dotted lines in the position to which'they may be elevated in relation to the work-armof the machine to constitute a flat-bed;

Fig. 4 is a transverse section on line 44 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a front elevation (similar to Fig. 2) with some details in section and with the parts in elevated position to constitute a. flat-bed; and

Fig. 6 is a horizontal sectional view on line 6-6 of Fig. 2. 7

Referring to the drawings, 20 is a work-bench or table such as sewing machines are usually mounted upon in factories; in the showing thereof in Fig. 1

the edge of said bench crosses the sheet in an inclined position. Figs. 1, 2 and 5 show in dotted outline portions of the well-known feed-off-thearm Feldlock sewing machine of the Willcox & ,Tibbs Sewing Machine Co., having a frame-work including two standards 21 and 22 connected by a bridging portion 23, and a work-arm comprising an approximately horizontal part 24 extending outward from said frame-work, a part 25 depending vertically from the outer end of the part 24, and an approximately horizontal work-supporting part 26 joining and supported from the lower end of part 25, said part 26at its other end being free, whereby tubular work may be fed off the same. The parts of the work-arm are hollow and enclose driving connections to feeding-mechanism and other parts operating at the free end of part 26 of the arm. At their base the two standards 21 and 2 rest upon the bench 20 and are secured thereto by bolts passing upward through the bench and engaging screw-threaded sockets in each standard. Only one such bolt (referred to later) is illustrated in the drawings. The feeding-mechanism of the machine operates to feed the work or fabric along the work-supporting part 26 of the work-arm past the needles and other parts of the stitch-forming mechanism, and off the free end of said part 26.

Said feed-oif-the-arm work-arm,'-and particularly said part 26 thereof with its relatively narrow work-supporting surface, while designed and well adapted for use in closing the lengthwise'seams of tubular work, is not, as before stated, suitable for work, such as sewing in sleeves, which requires a larger area of fiat work-supporting surface such as provided in the'well-known flat-bed machines.

- This invention provides means movable to position in relation to the work-supporting part 26 of the work-arm to constitute a flat bed-plate when that character of work support is required; or movable to a position removed from said part 26 of the work-arm when it is desired that the latter shall function in its normal way in supporting the work. i In the particular embodiment of the invention illustratedin the drawingssaid means consists mainly of two plates or work-shelves 30 and 31rigidly connected together at the same level and spaced apart between their inner straight edges,

" said work-shelves being movable upwardly to positions (in which they are shown in Figs. 4 and 5 and in dotted lines in Fig. 3) at opposite sides respectively of part 26 of the work-arm to constitute therewith a flat-bed. I From such position said shelvesare'movable downward to a position removed from the work-arm and to the same level as a third plate or center shelf 32 which then fits between said side shelves 30 and 31, all as shown in Fig. 2 and in full lines in Fig. 3. In this lowi ered position of the shelves they constitute a workmore detailed description now to follow.

The fixed means whereby the movable parts are supported from the work-bench in proper operative relation to the work-arm of the sewing machine, are as follows:

The upper end of a vertically depending brack-' et-bar 35 is secured by a set-screw 36 (dotted lines, Fig. l) in a central opening or socket of a circular plate or base 37, which latter is secured against the underside of the bench by two downwardly extending screw headed bolts 38 and 39 and by an upwardly extending winged-headed bolt 40, the latter passing through a radial slot 41 in plate 37, through bench 20, and then engaging a screw threaded socket in the bottom of standard 21 of the frame of the sewing machine. This winged bolt is substituted for one of the bolts such as regularly used in the same position to secure the sewing machine to the bench; and it is put in place before the position of the bolts and 39 is determined and holes bored therefor I through the bench. With said'bolt 40 loosely in I 45 is a horizontal bracket-arm having at its outer end an enlargement or head 46 and at its inner end a split sleeve 47, all preferably integrally formed and made of aluminum. sleeve 47 embraces bracket-bar 35 and a bolt 48 serves to contract said sleeve to rigidly grip said bar after the bracket-arm 45 has been adjusted to the desired elevation in relation to the workarm of the sewing machine.

A vertically disposed bracket-plate 50, having an integrally formed bracket part 51, fits along one of its edges in a recess in the head 46 and is secured thereto by two screws 52, 52. Said brack- 1;

et-plate 50, being preferably of aluminum, is provided with a stop-plate 53 of steel secured there-- to.

54 is a vertical groove alongone side of the head 46 between a projecting edge or lip 49 thereof and the inner face of plate 50. A bracket arm 1' 55 is also secured to the head 46 by screws 56, 56.

The movable parts of the mechanismwill now be described. is a vertically movable support having therein openings in which the upper ends of guide bars 61 and 62 are secured by set-screws 2 63 and 64, respectively. Bar 61 slides in a vertical passage through head 46, and bar 62 slides in the aforesaid groove 54 along one side of said head. By the use of the two bars sidewise turning or movement of support 60, such as might throw the parts out of alinement with the work-arm of the sewing machine, is prevented.

Two U-shaped brackets 65, 66 fit in grooves across the top of support 60 near opposite ends of the latter respectively and'are'secured in place by 2 screws 67 of which two are shown for eachbracket. One arm of each bracket supports work-shelf The split 30 while the other arm of each bracket supports work-shelf 31. Each arm of each bracket bears against the under side of its shelf and'has an elongated slot therein. A set-screw 68 passes'through each such slot of a bracket arm and. engages a screw-threaded socket in the under side of a shelf,

thereby rigidly securing each shelf to its bracket arms in the desired position of adjustment and spaced relationship to the other shelf and to the work-arm of the sewing machine.

The central work-shelf 32 extends along the top surface of the support in thespace between the arms of thebrackets and 66. A slide rod '70, secured at its upper end in a socket in shelf 32 by a set-screw, depends through and slides in an opening through support'60. Rod '70 is prevented from turning in said opening by a key 71 head 46 of the bracket-arm 45; and with the lower end of rod '70 in contact with the wear-plate 53 of bracket 51, thereby maintaining the center shelf 32 at the same level as the side shelves 30 and. 31 between whichsaid center shelf fits. In

thisposition the three shelves 30, 31, 32 stand at thesame level and constitute a work-supporting shelf beneath the work-arm of the machine adapted to take the place of the shelf hereinbefore mentioned as commonly provided in conjunction with feed-ofi-the-arm Work-arm machines.

For lifting the parts from their aforesaid lowered position to the elevated position in which they are illustrated in Fig. 5, and in dotted lines in Fig. 3-and in which elevated position the side shelves 30 and 31 are flush with the top surface of the part 26 of the work-arm of the sewing machine and constitute therewith a flat-bed work support similar to that of the ordinary fiat-bed machine-the following means are provided. and 81 are treadles such as commonly used, the former for lifting the presser-foot and the latter for controlling the power-transmitter through which the sewing-machine is driven from a suitable source of power. The connections from these treadles are not shown. In this instance the treadle-frame 82 is made to accommodate a third treadle 83, positioned between treadles 80 and 81 and rocking on the same axis. A rod 84 connects treadle 83 to one end of a lifter-lever 85 pivoted to the outer end of bracket 55 by a stud 86. At its other end lever 85 is forked to receive the lower end of a link-bar 87, connected at its upper end to support 60 by a pivot stud 88. Where the lower end of bar 87 fits into the fork at the end of lever 85, said parts are connected by a pivot stud 89, and an inclined surface on the extreme end of bar 87 cooperates with an inclined surface 91 at the bottom of said fork.

With the parts in their lowermost position, shown in Fig. 2, the operator may quickly raise them to their elevated position by pressure on treadle 83, thereby actuating lever 85 and bar 8'7 to swing the same to the position in which they are shown in Fig. 5, with their inclined surfaces 90 and 91 in contact andwith their connecting pivot 89 standing to the left of the dotted line .r-a: through the axes of the pivot 86 and 88. In this position of the parts they are locked against downward movement inasmuch as the engagement of the inclined surfaces 90 and 91 prevents further movement of the pivot connection 89 toward the left in Fig. 5. To quickly lower the parts to their down position, and thereby leave the work-arm unobstructed to function in its normal manner as The key '71 has projecin the'sewing of tubular work, the operatorreverses the movement of treadle 83, thereby imparting upward movement to the outer end of lever 85 (Fig. 5) and shifting pivot connection 89 to the right across the dotted line :r-:n, and there- 'by releasing the. parts to downward movement until stopped at the limit thereof in the position in which they are shown in Fig. 2.

As thus' appears, the operator may quickly change from a work-arm machine to a flat-bed machine, and back'again, as the character of work being done may require. What is claimed as new is: a

l. The combination with a sewing machine having a work-arm, of means movable to position in relation to said work-arm to constitute a flatbed; supporting means movably supporting said movable means, a movable part adapted to be actuated by the operator of the sewing machine;

and a movable connection from said part to said movable means to effect movement ofthe latter to said position to constitute a flat-bed.

s 2. The combination with a sewing machine having a. work-arm, of means movable either to a position in relation to said work-arm to'constitute a flat-bed, or to a position to constitute 'a work support beneath said work-arm; andsupporting means movablysupporting said movable means.

' 3. The combination with a sewing machine having a work-arm, of means movable either to a position in relation to said work-arm to constitute a fiat-bed, or to a position to constitute a work support beneath said work-arm; supporting means movably supporting said movable means; and means adapted to be actuated by an operator of the sewing machine to effect movement of said movable means from either of said positions to the otherposition.

4. The combination with a sewing machine having a feed-Ofi-the-arm work-arm including an approximately horizontal work-supporting portion, of means movable either to a position in relation to said work supporting portion'of the arm to constitute a fiat-bed, or to a position-toconstitute awork support beneath said work supporting portion of the'arm; and supporting means movably supporting said movable means.

5. The combination, with a sewing machine having a feed-oif-thej-arm work-arm including an approximately horizontal work supportingsition in relation to said work-arm to constitute 3 an extension of' the -work supporting surface thereof, or to a position removed therefrom; supporting means movably supporting said plate; a movable part adapted to be actuated by an operator of the sewing machine; and a movable connection from said part to said plate to effect movement of the latter from either. of said posi tions to the other position.

7. The combination with-a sewing machinev having a work-arm, of a plate movable to a position in relation to said work-arm to constitute an extension of the work supporting surface moved. from said work-armg supportingmeans movably supporting said plates; and means adapted to be actuated by the operator of said sewing machine to eiiect movement of said plates from either of said positions to the other position:

9. The combination with a sewing machine having a work-arm, of two plates movable to positions along opposite sides respectively of said work-armto constitute extensions of the work supporting surface thereof, or to a position to constitute a work support beneath said workarm; supporting means movably supporting said plates; means adapted to be actuated by the operator of said sewing machine to effect movement of said plates from either of said positions to the other position; and a third plate fitting between said two plates when the latter are in position to constitute a work support beneath said work-arm. Y

10 The combination with a sewing machine having a work-arm, of means movable to position in relation to said work-arm to constitute a flat bed, supporting means movably supporting said movable means; a treadle; and connections from said treadle to said movable means to effect movement of the latter to said position to constitute a flat-bed. p 7 1 1 11. The combination with a sewing machine having a work-arm, of means movable to a po-.

sition in relation to said work-arm to constitute a flat-bed, or to a position removed from said work-arm; supporting means movably supporting said movable means; a treadle; and connections from said treadle to said movable means to effect movement of the latter-from either of said dle; and connections from saidtreadle to said I 'movable means to effect movement of the latter.

from either of said positions to the other position. a

13. The combination with a sewing machine having a work-arm, of a plurality of treadles associated therewith and mounted side by side on a common support; means movable to position in relation to said work-arm to constitute a flatbed; supporting means movably supporting said movable means; and connections from one of said treadles to said movable means to effect movement of thelatter to said position to constitute a flat-bed.

14. The combination with a sewing machine having a work-arm, of a member movable into position to form in conjunction'with said workarm an extended work supporting surface comparable to that of a fiat bed machine, and operating means under the control of the operator for moving said member into and out of operative position with respect to said work-arm, said means including a part adapted to be actuated by the operator and a movable connection from said part to said member.

15. The combination with a sewing machine having a work-arm, of a plurality of'members movable into position to form in conjunction with said work-arm an extended work supporting surface comparable to that of a fiat bed machine,

CHAS. QDOWD. 

